ASCE Metropolitan Section

ASCE Metropolitan Section
Name	ASCE Metropolitan Section
Formation	19XX
Type	Professional association
Headquarters	New York City
Region served	New York metropolitan area
Parent organization	American Society of Civil Engineers

ASCE Metropolitan Section The ASCE Metropolitan Section is a regional branch of the American Society of Civil Engineers serving the New York metropolitan area. It links practicing engineers, academic institutions, and public agencies across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island, Long Island, Westchester County, and surrounding municipalities. The Section stages technical programs, credentialing support, and public advocacy while interfacing with engineering faculties, municipal agencies, and infrastructure authorities.

History

Founded in the early 20th century, the Section emerged amid rapid urban expansion associated with projects such as the George Washington Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge, New York City Subway, and the reconstruction initiatives following events like Hurricane Sandy. Early membership included engineers affiliated with firms engaged in the construction of the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, and the Port of New York and New Jersey. Throughout the mid-20th century the Section interacted with agencies such as the New York City Department of Buildings, New York City Department of Transportation, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey during major programs like the Interstate Highway System expansions and the development of the Lincoln Tunnel. In later decades the Section collaborated with academic partners at Columbia University, New York University, City College of New York, and Princeton University on research related to resilience, seismic retrofitting, and transit capacity. The Section has also engaged with national entities including the National Academy of Engineering, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials on standards and post-disaster assessments.

Organization and Governance

Governance follows a volunteer board structure composed of an elected President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, regional Directors, and committee Chairs. Officers often hold concurrent roles in firms like AECOM, Arup, WSP Global, Skanska, and Turner Construction Company or agencies such as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and New York State Department of Transportation. The Section operates under bylaws aligned with the American Society of Civil Engineers national constitution and coordinates reporting with regional counterparts including the ASCE New York State Section and neighboring Sections linked to the ASCE Region 1. Governance meetings review financial reports prepared by accounting partners, engage legal counsel for contracts, and set policy in consultation with external stakeholders such as the New York City Economic Development Corporation and professional boards like the New York State Board for Engineering and Land Surveying.

Membership and Professional Programs

Membership includes licensed Professional Engineers, younger members preparing for licensure, emeritus members, and student chapters. Student engagement is fostered through chapters at Columbia University],] New York University],] City College of New York],] Stevens Institute of Technology],] Rutgers University],] and Pratt Institute which participate in competitions such as the ASCE Concrete Canoe and ASCE Steel Bridge Competition. Professional programs provide resources for the Principles and Practice of Engineering exam, ethics seminars accredited by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying, and mentorship initiatives linking industry mentors from Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Perkins and Will, and HDR, Inc. with junior engineers. The Section also coordinates with certification bodies including the American Concrete Institute and Institute of Transportation Engineers to offer study groups, and maintains scholarship funds in partnership with foundations like the Engineers' Club of Philadelphia Educational Foundation.

Technical Committees and Regions

Technical committees address specialties such as structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, transportation engineering, environmental engineering, and construction management. Committees often collaborate with research centers at Columbia University’s Earth Institute, Lehigh University, and Cornell University on topics like stormwater management, coastal resiliency, and soil liquefaction. Regional subgroups focus on borough-specific concerns—Manhattan core, Brooklyn waterfront, Queens industrial corridors, Staten Island flood zones—and coordinate with entities like the New York City Economic Development Corporation, NYCEDC, and the Department of Environmental Protection. Joint task forces have been convened with associations such as the Structural Engineers Association of New York, American Institute of Steel Construction, and American Concrete Institute to develop guidance for seismic evaluation and retrofits and to contribute to model codes promulgated by the International Code Council.

Events, Awards, and Continuing Education

The Section organizes lecture series, annual dinners, technical symposia, and site tours of projects like the Second Avenue Subway, Hudson Yards development, and port modernization works. Annual awards recognize service, design excellence, construction management, and young engineer achievement, often honoring recipients who have worked on projects by Skanska USA Building, Turner Construction Company, Lendlease, and municipal infrastructure programs such as the NYC DEP Green Infrastructure initiatives. Continuing education credits are offered through webinars, in-person workshops, and multi-day conferences providing PDH credits acceptable to the New York State Education Department for license renewal. Collaborative events have been hosted with organizations like the New York Building Congress, Urban Land Institute, and Regional Plan Association.

Community Outreach and Advocacy

Outreach efforts include K–12 STEM programs in partnership with FIRST Robotics Competition, Girl Scouts of the USA, and local public schools in coordination with the New York City Department of Education. The Section advocates for infrastructure investment and resilience funding, engaging with elected officials from New York City Council, New York State Senate, and the U.S. House of Representatives delegations representing the metropolitan area. It provides pro bono technical assistance through partnerships with non-profits such as Habitat for Humanity, Rebuild by Design, and community development corporations, and contributes expert testimony to hearings held by bodies like the New York State Assembly and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on flood mitigation, transit funding, and building code adoption.

Category:American Society of Civil Engineers sections